Sabrina Percher’s Post

Canadian tech is facing a deep tech talent shortage and government leaders tend to want to fill this gap with foreign talent. But plans to draw from the international worker pool ignore the talent in our own backyard, including underrepresented communities across Canada. Another hurdle also persists: many tech companies are unaware of what inclusion actually looks like for members of these communities. Similarly, many existing attempts at inclusion don’t take into account holistic impact. Pablo Listingart, Executive Director of digital skills school ComIT, has built a unique perspective on this challenge, first as an immigrant who built a career in tech and now as someone focused on connecting tech communities and developing digital skills across Canada. See full story here 👇 https://lnkd.in/ePZDnkFn #Entrepreneurs #fintechstartup #entrepreneurship #growbusiness #TorontoStartup #CanadianStartup #startuptoronto #canadabusinessowners #businesscanada

Feeling lucky to be soaking in the entrepreneurial energy at Collision Conf this week in Toronto. Grateful to Maya Roy and the CILAR team for the opportunity! If you're keen to learn more about Grand Challenges Canada's efforts in supporting innovators tackle critical health and humanitarian barriers in developing and emerging markets, let's connect! Yesterday, I learned more about the African Tech Diaspora, with a special focus on Lauren DeSouza's impactful work in creating talent pipelines for the Tech sector across the African continent. I cannot wait to listen to communities of innovators and investors share their successes and challenges, today. My big learning questions as I observe this whole new world that is Collision: What does it take to get innovation ecosystems activated for social change? Who are the actors? What policy and incentives are needed? What are the challenges? What are the common ingredients in the receipe regardless of the market? #CollisionConf #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #TechDiaspora #GlobalHealth #HumanitarianInnovation #GrandChallengesCanada

💸 🌐 Canadian Tech Scaleups: Three in Four Investment Dollars Goes Out East 📊 An insightful piece of analysis has been recently released by the The Narwhal Project that benchmarks Canada's top scaling companies in the technology and innovation sectors using a Scaleup ranking. Congratulations to our friend Charles Plant and the Narwhal Project team for compiling such a robust and insightful list. 💰 In 2023, those technology companies included in the analysis* collectively raised US$16.5b. Three in every four dollars was invested out East, with US$4.2b being invested in the West. From no Canadian unicorns in 2017 to 24 in 2023 (and line of sight to 50 more), the landscape of Canadian entrepreneurship is transforming dramatically. Some other notable findings:  📈 Progress: 240% in increase in technology companies raising over US$10m in the past eight years 🌎 Origination: Foreign funds are dominating the Canadian investing landscape 🏢 Diversity of Sectors: While health tech companies led previously, 2023 sees a more diverse representation, with a significant presence from computer technology firms 🐎 Calgary: YYC ranks 4th out of the 10 Canadian cities profiled, with 44 scaleups and an average scaleup ranking of  48.11%. Note Calgary Economic Development, Calgary Innovation Coalition For those interested in the specifics of the Narwhal List and its methodology, be sure to visit https://lnkd.in/e5MJH-K. Let’s continue to support and celebrate the incredible achievements of our homegrown companies as they scale new heights. Here's to more innovation, growth, and success in the Canadian tech landscape! 🌟 🚀 **Numbers rounded to the nearest US$million. The $10 million cut-off was arbitrarily established to represent the approximate level companies start scaling. #NarwhalList2023 #CanadianInnovation #GrowthCompass #BusinessScaling #TechGrowth #CanadianUnicorns

Dr Nik Eberl's post highlights the potential for South Africa, particularly Cape Town, to become a thriving hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, akin to Silicon Valley. The acknowledgment of a lag in technological adoption compared to other parts of the world is turned into an optimistic perspective, suggesting that this lag could actually be an opportunity for South African businesses. Dr. Eberl emphasizes the need for founders in South Africa to cultivate three fundamental skills when building a business. The recognition of the transformative educational experience in Silicon Valley for young South Africans and the belief that passionate minds can create disruptive start-ups with minimal resources underscores the importance of fostering a mindset of innovation and problem-solving. The post suggests that South Africa is no longer just an observer but an active participant in the global tech arena, with thousands of innovators working to position the country and its cities as tech powerhouses. This ambition is not merely a replication of Silicon Valley's success but an independent journey to forge a path in Southern Africa, serving as a beacon of hope for the entire continent. The hashtags #leadership, #southafrica, and #capetown indicate a focus on leadership qualities, the broader South African context, and specifically, the city of Cape Town in driving this innovation agenda. Responding to this post could involve expressing agreement with the optimistic outlook, discussing the specific opportunities and challenges faced by South African entrepreneurs, or sharing thoughts on how the identified fundamental skills can be honed and applied in the local context. Additionally, one might explore how this initiative could impact the broader African continent and contribute to its technological advancement.

Some really interesting insights here comparing #Canadian #Technology #Scaleups across the regions.

RESILIENCE, AGILITY, and BOLDNESS have always defined us, and today is no different. Throughout past challenges and crises, Israeli tech has showcased its remarkable ability to MAINTAIN BUSINESS CONTINUITY and INNOVATION, and the entrepreneurial community of the Startup Nation has consistently ADAPTED and THRIVED. Our ecosystem and experienced tech leaders know how to navigate obstacles and emerge stronger. Even throughout the current crisis, offices are OPEN, most of the workforce remains active, and companies have ADJUSTED to deliver top-notch services to clients worldwide. Israeli tech companies are agile, swiftly prioritizing tasks and maintaining everyday operations, ensuring that innovation won't stop. And we're not alone. With over 450 multinationals operating in Israel, innovating together, supporting, and investing in our success, the future for Israeli innovation remains BRIGHT. We at Innovate Israel believe that the story of our local community is one of RESILIENCE and unwavering DETERMINATION, and we're committed to continuing our journey of innovation, come what may. #israelitech #resilience #innovation #adaptability #agility #nomatterwhat #wedeliver #startupnation

Last week was excellent for Italian tech! I met some interesting Italian founders and VCs at the launch event for the week-long visit of the #Italian_Delegation at the #Yale_Innovation_Summit in CT and NYC. Organized by AdvanceCT, Connecticut Innovations, the Italian Consolato d'Italia a New York, and the Italian Tech Alliance. Thank you, and congrats to John Pavia, Francesco Ricigliano, Francesco Cerruti, and Italian Consul Fabrizio Di Michele for making the whole week a success. Looking forward to future collaboration and success! The Italian ecosystem is still small and young. I have criticized policies that have hindered rather than helped its growth. However, it is now at an inflection point. Talent is tremendous and second to nowhere else, and policies have improved, thanks especially to CDP Venture Capital SGR (more strides are needed to reach critical mass). Being in a catch-up phase, it is poised to grow much faster than other EU ecosystems, presenting a great opportunity for investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions. The road ahead looks promising! I'd like to reiterate 3 points: 1) Policy makes a huge difference in the success of an innovation ecosystem and has little to do with the amount of money you put in. Subsidies: Bad. Government-run venture funds: Bad. 2) Italy should prioritize policies that build an ecosystem. While “ecosystem” is overused, it has deep meaning. Creating demand and talent pipelines for startups and leveraging procurement to source solutions is better than providing capital. Capital is useless without sales. 3) Italy is Europe’s last bastion with a Silicon Valley obsession. While SV is number one, the NY Metro Area (which includes a chunk of CT) is better for scaling globally. NY is the second-largest ecosystem in the world, with 30,000 startups valued at $650B, 146 unicorns, and $179B in VC invested from 2018-2023 (compared to London’s $99.8B). Many Euro growth-stage startups are headquartered in NYC: UK 407, France 146, Germany 94, Ireland 70. With a $1.7T economy, the NY Metro Area is home to the most Fortune 500 companies in the US: your clients are here. Geography and historical links matter. A LOT. Thanks again to everyone involved for making this happen. #Innovation #GlobalMarket #ItalianInnovation #AdvanceCT #CTInnovation #CrossPollination #StartupEcosystem #GlobalGrowth Simone Tarantino, Caroline Simmons, Fabio Pirovano, Jacopo Drudi, Luca Pignatti, Paul Marino, Andrea Gumina, Matteo Bogana, Lorenzo Seritti

According to briefed.in, while Canadian tech ecosystems faced funding challenges in 2022, Alberta and Québec defied the odds with remarkable growth in venture funding. Alberta tech companies secured a whopping $675 million, marking an 89% surge from 2021 and a staggering 121% increase from 2020. Québec also thrived, raking in $2.3 billion in venture funding, a remarkable 21% jump from the previous year and a staggering 76% increase since 2020. What's even more impressive? These two provinces were the only ones to witness year-over-year growth in venture funding last year. Alberta's maturation is attributed to an influx of entrepreneurial talent and growth programming, while Québec benefited from significant deals. 🤔 What lessons can other Canadian provinces and regions learn from Alberta and Québec's impressive tech investment growth in 2022? Share your insights! 🚀 #TechInvestment #CanadaTech #VentureFunding Full article here! https://lnkd.in/ghTWw9-F

Women entrepreneurs in the Middle East encounter significant challenges compared to their global counterparts, with women-led businesses comprising less than 5% of total businesses in the region, versus a global average of 23% to 26%. Despite these hurdles, women in the Middle East are actively founding businesses, raising capital, and overcoming various obstacles. She Loves Tech competition provides a stage for startups to unveil female's potential to the world. Join and leverage the platform for investor access, exposure, and networking opportunities! Application for She Loves Tech Middle East 2024 is open to all tech startups with at least one female founder or majority female consumers/end-users. Opportunity to win the coveted 5Cs: ✨ Cash Prizes: US$20K and a Trip to Singapore ✨ Capital: Priority Investments worth USD$150K* ✨ Coverage: Extensive media exposure and networking opportunities ✨ Connections: Access to investors and corporate partners ✨ Community: Join a network of gender-lens startups driving change *for selected region Apply now at bit.ly/sltcompmeli. #SheLovesTech2024 #SLTGlobalCompetition2024 #SheLovesTechat10 #innovation #founders #technology #femalefounders #investmentopportunity #MiddleEast #UAE #SaudiArabia #Qatar #startup #startupfounders #womenintech Source: Forbes ME, Techopedia.

Ready to expand your network and learn from industry experts? 👀 🇳🇴 Join Tech Nordic Advocates upcoming event during Oslo Innovation Week, where we discuss: ‘Startup Founders: The international opportunity, lessons learned and international perspective.’ Read more and secure your spot below 👇🏼 #NordicMade